The first day of the New Year begins with a holyday, the Solemnity of Mary the Holy Mother of God. Let our presence in Church on New Year’s Day at the 11am Mass be a testimony to our desire for peace and justice everywhere in 2016!

The Knights of Columbus will sponsor a free throw contest from 3pm to 5pm for boys and girls ages 9 to 14. Sign-up forms are in the narthex or rectory office. For more information call Anthony DePalma 973-886-8942.

The poinsettias will arrive this Tuesday, December 22nd. Volunteers are needed to help with flower decorating which will begin at 8am. We also need helpers to water the plants throughout the Christmas season, if you are available please call the rectory. Thank you.

This is the perfect time to think about becoming a volunteer host family to a NYC child. The Fresh Air Fund, a non-profit org. provides free, enriching summer experiences and academic programs for children from low-income areas in NYC. For more info, contact Denise at 973-838-7138, DRDeBernardi@gmail.com or The Fresh Air Fund at (800) 367-0003 or www.freshair.org.

Thank you to Ralph Ferrara, the committee, and all the Knights for a wonderful re-birth of Breakfast with Santa here at OLM last weekend! A special thanks to the jolly man in the red suit who shall go nameless!

December 27 is 4 Get Me Not Sunday. Please keep the Christmas spirit going and donate non perishable food to the Catholic Charities Father English Food Pantry this weekend. Typically, donations fall off after the holidays, but the need continues for families that depend on our generosity.

If you are interested in a wonderful and rewarding ministry, we invite you to join us as a Eucharistic Minister. It is a privilege that brings many rewards when you present the body and blood of Jesus to others. A training session will be held on Tuesday, December 15 at 7:00pm in the Church. Please pray about it and then call either Marianne Garibaldi 973-492-9088 or Lori Covello 201-874-7403.

Please do not park illegally. A yellow line along the curb indicates No Parking because an emergency vehicle may need to get in i.e. fire truck, ambulance, police cruiser etc. Last Sunday there were cars parked along the yellow line and there were spaces available in the parking lot. There are handicapped ramps cut into the side walks and people have said they became unusable because a car was parked right in front of the ramp. Please only park in the designated areas.

It is heart warming to see the Church full of parishioners for Mass but parishioners come so late that they are walking in during the liturgy of the Word. Please leave for Mass 5 minutes earlier than your usual time and you will not have to park illegally and no one will be inconvenienced by late comers. Thank you.

The poinsettias will arrive on Tuesday, December 22nd. Volunteers are needed to help with flower decorating which will begin at 8am. We also need helpers to water the plants throughout the Christmas season, if you are available please call the rectory. Thank you.

Bill O’Brien, a volunteer and Fernando, our custodian, made signs to designate certain buildings. The signs for the Chapel and the Rectory were stolen and the police have been informed. If anyone should find a green sign somewhere around town with the words chapel or rectory would you kindly return them anonymously…no questions asked! Thank you.

A very special thank you to everyone who helped to decorate the church for Christmas. It is a big job and many hands make it much easier. Our team of elves that make it happen are Andy Casper, Bonnie Nelson, Cherylan Zarpaylic, Linda Howard, Melissa Giacoio, Beth Wood, our Confirmation students, Omar Hernandez and of course Fernando! Thank you…You are the Best!